Rail services and flights have been axed, with rare red weather warnings issued for Scotland and Northern Ireland as Storm Eowyn is likely to damage buildings, uproot trees and cause power cuts, the Met Office said.

Ireland and Northern Ireland braced for a storm that officials warned could be one of the most dangerous they have faced when it hits early on Friday, forcing the closure of schools, universities and public transport.

Schools have been closed and people warned not to travel on Friday, as 100mph winds pose a danger to life in parts of the UK. Rail services and flights have been axed, with rare red weather warnings issued for Scotland and Northern Ireland as Storm Eowyn is likely to damage buildings,

Storm Éowyn, pronounced ‘Ay-oh-win’, has been advancing toward Ireland and the United Kingdom and is expected to bring gusty winds, heavy rain and some snow to the region Friday and Saturday.

Storm Éowyn will bring a “weather bomb” to Ireland and the UK, unleashing destructive winds and heavy rain, the Met Office forecaster said.

Ireland is preparing for extreme weather conditions Thursday afternoon and evening. Storm Éowyn is a so-called bomb cyclone and will possibly break European storm records. And its passage over Ireland could bring wind gusts of up to 200 kilometers per hour.